Protecting Privacy and Computer Safety
The Internet is an ever-changing source of information. Inevitably, some of the links below will stop working. We will do our best to keep links current and remove broken links.
Our Advice- Stop using Internet Explorer. A safer and more secure web browser is Firefox. Consider installing some of the add-ons available for Firefox to improve security and privacy.
- Stop having your web browser save personal information such as name, address and passwords.
- Periodically empty/clear out the cached information in your web browser along with cookies, especially after visiting questionable web sites or those with lots of advertisements and pop-ups.
- Keep a "throwaway" email account used only for commerce, signing up for services, etc. Safeguard your personal and most trusted email account by not giving it to businesses or online vendors.
- Be sure that the firewall built into your computer operating system is turned on and turned up to the highest settings tolerable.
| Source | Link Info |
|---|---|
| Article | Why privacy online is an oxymoron |
| Article | How hackers will crack your password |
| Article | Your Secrets: A Goldmine Online - An investigative report from the Wall Street Journal |
| Article | Online Exposure According to Consumer Reports |
| Article | EFF's Top 12 Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy - Though this article is dated, it is still relevant. |
| Article | Protecting Kids' Privacy - from the FTC.gov |
| Article | Kid's Privacy - from OnGuardOnline.com [pdf] |
| Article | 10 Tips to Keep Kids Safe Online from Oxford Learning |
| Article | Five ways to protect your privacy online from CNET. |
| Article | Center for Democracy and Technology's Guide to Privacy Online |
| Article | How to Protect Your Privacy on Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn - Though somewhat dated, it is still relevant. |
| Article | McAfee, Inc. Identifies the Most Dangerous -and Safest - Web Searches |
| Article | Protect Your Privacy - from GetSafeOnline.org |
| Article | How Hackers Will Crack Your Password |
| Online Game | For Kids: Keeping Personal Information Private |
| Resource | How to Delete Remembered Network Passwords in Windows and Why |
| Resource | SpywareWarrior.com - Though some of these web pages have not been updated since 2006, this site still contains a lot of useful information. The blogs appear to be active and current. Special Note: Professor Eric Howes at SpywareWarrior.com recommends that PC owners install two different anti-spyware applications because no one program has proven to be 100% effective. |
| Resource | All-Internet-Security.com - One stop shopping for all things related to Internet security including access to freeware products. |
| Resource | From Microsoft for Windows PCs: Improve your family's Web security in 4 steps Four steps to protect your computer |
| Software | FREE & HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR MAC OWNERS: Sophos Anti-Malware software for Mac OSX |
| Software | Kaspersky AntiVirus for Mac / for PC [Review of Kaspersky AntiVirus for Mac] |
| Software | Symantec Protection for Macs (for Macs but Symantec has many PC products as well.) |
| Resource | How to use Facebook privacy settings |
| Resource | Firefox Add-Ons Related to Privacy and Security - many addons to choose from. |
| Resource | Reputation Defender for your child - Though there are several online companies to protect one's online reputation, ReputationDefender.com was one of the first and most well known. |
| Software | MacScan - to protect privacy and security (for Mac OS X only) |
| Software | Intego products for Mac OSX - lest Mac owners feel slighted, Intego.com makes quality products to safeguard Apple comptuers |
| Software | Microsoft Windows Defender Antispyware software - Free (for PC only) |
| Software | Spybot - Search & Destroy- Free (for PC only) |
| Software | Ad-Aware - Free (for PC users) |
| Software | Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware - Free (for PC only) Read a September, 2008 review at Download.com. |
| Software | Privoxy - Privoxy is a web proxy with advanced filtering capabilities for protecting privacy, modifying web page content, managing cookies, controlling access, and removing ads, banners, pop-ups and other obnoxious Internet junk. (for both Macs and PCs; requires some computer knowledge to install/configure) |
| YouTube video | Setting Up Privacy Settings in Google+ |
| YouTube video | Smartphone Privacy Risks |
Search Site
